Friday Post-Game 3/25

March 25th, 2011

If you have a good theory as to why the WBS Pens are so bad in Binghamton this season, don’t bother posting it in the comments. Just email it straight to the team, because they don’t seem to have any answers either.

Four games. Four losses by a combined score of 14-4. A 3-0 loss tonight. Brutal.

You could chalk it up to bad luck or coincidence except for this fact: They’re 51-14-1 in every other rink in the league. This is a very good team. Just not in this building.

And get this. Binghamton moved within three points of Norfolk and four points of Charlotte with the win tonight. The B-Sens could very easily be a first-round playoff opponent for the Penguins, and by then, they’ll get five more players back from Ottawa.

Anyway, coach John Hynes wasn’t a big fan of the whole line of questioning about the Penguins struggling in this building. He said the things that cost them tonight would have cost them in any rink.

They lost the special teams battle, failing to score on a 70-second 5-on-3 in the first period and giving up a PPG to Andre Benoit in the second.

They got beat one-on-one (Corey Potter by the fancy stickhandling of Roman Wick) on Jim O’Brien’s goal that made it 2-0.

They had five guys reaching for a puck at the defensive blue line, and that turned into a turnover and a three-on-none goal by Ryan Keller in the third period to make it 3-0.

I guess he’s right, but I still think there’s something about this building that doesn’t agree with the Penguins. Horses for courses, you know? But I’m not smart enough to put my finger on it.

Two other things.

First, Steve Wagner left in the third period with an apparent upper-body injury. I think it happened when he collided with goalie Robin Lehner and the boards on a play behind the Binghamton net. Hynes said Wagner is definitely out for the rest of this weekend and probably Wednesday in Norfolk as well.

Defense is the one area where the Penguins have some depth. They scratched Alex Grant and newly signed ATO Joe Rogalski tonight. Both made the trip. Grant will probably slot in tomorrow in Adirondack.

Second, the Penguins’ magic number to clinch the East Division title is now three on both Norfolk and Hershey.

I thought it was two on Hershey, but upon further review, in a new rule this season, the first tie-breaker is non-shootout wins, rather than overall wins like it used to be. The Penguins lead Hershey 51-42 in overall wins, but taking shootout wins out of the equation, it’s 44-39. Hershey could still make up that difference.

Complicated, I know, but it adds a little more value to regulation wins than shootout wins, and that’s probably a good thing.

Wheeling trailed Florida 2-1 tonight late in the 3rd but a Kyle Bushee goal with 42 seconds left in regulation sent the game into Overtime. The Nailers, however, fell in the shootout, losing 3-2. Joey Haddad had the other Nailers goal.

The top 8 teams make the playoffs. The ECHL regular season is 72 games.

Wheeling and Florida meet one more time Saturday night.

frankie2003

No idea what to say…… except for PLEASE someone beat the senators and don’t let them get the #4 seed. Right now I am cheering for the Ads and Checkers every single game

frankie2003

And for all those that constantly complain, the Penguins are the front page article on theahl.com

http://twitter.com/#!/TonyAndrock TonyAndrock

We haven’t beaten the Senators in Binghamton since Oct. 16 of 2009! Winless in last seven visits.

dave

That third goal on the turn over was brutal. Where was the defense? All five guys leading the rush with the defenseman out ahead of everyone. Potter, esp, had a BAD night.

Kewdo

I think it’s a mental thing. The team needs to forget the losses to bingo and act as if it’s any other team.

jreeders518

During the lockout year, Sens had the best team they ever had in Binghamton, We beat them. I think the Pens can beat anyone. I would rather see the Sens end up in the other division in the first round though. Just to be on the cautious side. Charlotte and Norfolk are not sure things wither. Both really good teams that could get even better quickly. And we have what we have.

wbshockeyfan

I figured this would happen tonight. if we have to play them we play them i am sure the team will figure out a way to win in a best of 7 series.

37_Ina_row

And did you notice we didn’t out shoot them tonight by 20+? They must read your blog. Lol.

But the first period they were flying. They lead the shot count 12-4 and held the sens shotless until late in the first, which all but got a standing ovation. The officiating was a little shotty. Never heard of this Koval character. But he was consistanly missing calls for both teams.

If we end up playing this team in the playoffs, it’s going to be a long first round.

nailersfan66

Kaval reffed the infamous Canada/Russia Would Juniors Final a few months back.

jreeders518

@nailersfan66, was it infamous because of Kaval? We are going to see Wheeling in Reading on the 30th.

Brendag

Of course frankie we always make the front page when we LOSE!! Ya think we’d get more front page news when we do good things. I guess the only time we’ll get front page when we win the Calder Cup Then they have no choice!@frankie2003

jreeders518

@Brendag, lets face it. It isn’t really news when we win. Man bites dog. I know what you mean though. I will take the headline when we eliminate Hershey.

Binger

Wagner out separated shoulder

Ali

That can’t be good news about Wagner. Those take a long time to heal, don’t they?

jreeders518

Yea they take a long time. We may see Rogalski in a couple of games but Mormina and Sneep may be close. Don’t forget Grant. We are pretty solid in the D.

frankie2003

Don’t forget…. there is really no need to play anyone that is banged up until the 1st round. These games are pretty meaningless in the final 16 days

BAE

End of second period in Glenns Falls. Seems the ref and linesmen are playing their own game and the Phantom and Penguins another. At least two phantom (No pun) calls. Delay of game and too many men, not to mention anything else. One linesman may be ok, but there sure is a ref and linesman who are not expecting to keep their jobs. I’ve never seen so bad, but I have not seen every game, either. The AHL has another reason to hide their heads.

Kewdo

These games aren’t meaningless, home ice advantage is something to play for and getting the machine(team) revved up so they are firing on all cylinders going into the placeoffs.

BAE

puck control, accuracy. Too many near misses. 500 shots and no goal is not team impressive. Especially with the ref reverting to being a decent ref in the third period.

nailersfan66

@jreeders518 No, it was infamous because Canada peed all over themselves and blew that large lead, setting their country back 20 years.

frankie2003

Kewdo :
These games aren’t meaningless, home ice advantage is something to play for and getting the machine(team) revved up so they are firing on all cylinders going into the placeoffs.

They are pretty meaningless…. magic # on portland is 9… meaning going 4-4 in final 8 should be more than enough to clinch best record in league…

A winner of first-place honors in the blogging category of the 2012 Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors awards, Penguins Insider was created to give local hockey fans an interactive, in-depth way to follow the team they so passionately support. The blog's author, beat writer Jonathan Bombulie, has been covering the team since its inception in 1999. Contact him at jbombulie@aol.com

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